It Will Be Because You Want Me
by unpredictablemary
Summary: A collection of short stories and drabbles about everyone's favorite pirate and savior. Not spoiler-free.
1. Chapter 1

_Well, I seem to be officially obsessed with these two, so I decided to make one story to contain drabbles and whatever I end up writing about them before the end of the season. Here's the first one- it ran away with me a little! It's set after 3x19, so I thought I better get it up before tonight's ep. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Swan!"

The harsh call found her in the middle of the street. She'd known he would follow her when she left Granny's. He'd been sitting in the corner, a brooding look on his face, when she'd come in, and he'd watched her the entire time she ate lunch. Emma had scarfed down the food at the counter, barely bothering to sit down. She'd avoided his gaze as she'd gotten up, but she'd known he would follow her.

"What?" she yelled back, without bothering to turn around or stop walking. If he wanted to talk to her he could catch up.

"Swan." Emma heard his footsteps behind her a few seconds before she felt his hand around her arm.

"Get off. What do you want?"

"Many things. Where would you like me to start?"

Emma glared at him, finally looking him in the eyes. "What do you want, Hook? I don't have time for this."

"Please. You knew this conversation was coming. You knew as soon as you went into the diner you were risking having it."

"Doesn't have to be right now."

"All I have ever done is asked you to trust me, Swan." Hook pressed his lips together to keep them from quivering. "Ever since we met, ever since that stupid beanstalk."

Emma spun around on him. "Yeah, and you've—"

"And I've what?" Hook demanded. "I've helped you, I've helped save your son, I've protected him later, I've found you in New York and given you your memories back, and I've stayed at your side this entire time when I didn't need to be here! This thing with Zelena isn't my battle, love! Yet here I am, helping you! And yesterday I was looking out for the boy, nothing more, nothing less. If you need to get mad at someone, why don't you try finding Zelena and taking your anger out on her?"

"Hook, what do you want me to think when I see you putting my son on a boat to New York?"

Hook expelled a frustrated sigh through his nose. He took a few steps closer to her, almost menacing in his intensity. "You think that I knew Zelena was coming for him—as she did. And when the flying monkeys attacked, and your boy had no idea what was going on and no way to defend himself, I tried, in the ten seconds I had to think, to get him to safety. To get him to where, I might add, you want him to be. To the life you want for him."

"That's not your decision to make."

"For God's sake, Swan! I knew she was coming and I didn't want her to find him when she did. We could've caught up to their boat and retrieved him afterwards, I just wanted him out of here. I was trying to protect him."

Emma was silent. She had nothing to say. He was right. He had been acting in Henry's best interest. Giving him his best chance, she thought with a surge of emotion that made her want to crumple up and cry. He truly cared about Henry—cared about her—and that was all the more reason she had to distance herself from him.

Emma swallowed. "Thank you, Killian."

"Excuse me?"

"I understand you were trying to help."

"But you still don't trust me?"

Emma closed her eyes. She needed him to think she didn't, needed Zelenato think she didn't. But this was almost more than she could bear.

"You're trusting Regina, and she's murdered thousands!" Hook burst out. "And she isn't sorry for it! That's a lot worse than anything done by old Killian Jones."

"We need her! We don't have a choice!"

"Well, you need me too, love. And you have to decide. You can't be in love with me and get to blame me every time something doesn't go your way. It doesn't work that way."

Emma stepped back as though he'd slapped her in the face.

"I'm not the same man I was when I met you, Emma," Hook said fiercely. "You showed me there was more to life than vengeance, you showed me I could be part of something. I listened. But I'm tired of trying to prove it to you. I thought you saw it. I thought things were different." He gave her a hard look and started to walk away.

"They _are _different!" Emma exclaimed, surprising even herself. "They have been different," she said in a smaller voice.

He looked back at her, an eyebrow raised. "Then what's going on?"

Emma let her hands fall against her legs, frustrated and helpless. "She cursed your lips to get to me, Hook! She _cursed your lips_. Don't you get it? I am your weakness! Regina's been saying it all week: love is weakness. Zelena's going to hurt you, and it's going to be my fault! You need me to be mad at you! To protect us both from the curse and to protect you from anything else that's coming!"

"Emma—" He took a step closer, but she stepped back.

"I can't, Hook. I know I told you you could be a part of something, but you never should have gotten mixed up in all this in the first place."

"Really. Is that how you're feeling?" he said, suddenly sarcastic.

"Yeah, it is!"

"Well, poor you. You've been brought back to your family, back to love, back _home_, and all you can do is wish you didn't have to deal with it. This is where you_ belong_, Emma! It's where all of us belong. I thought even me."

"I'm trying to protect you!" she shouted.

"By pushing me away?"

"Yes!" Emma yelled. They stood there for a second, staring at each other, breathing hard. "It's the only way."

"No, it isn't. And it wasn't with Henry, either. You can't protect everyone around you, Emma, you can only do what you can do. Let me worry about myself."

"I can't," she said in a small voice. She took a couple of heaving breaths. "I can't… stop worrying," she muttered.

"Emma," he said, reaching for her, but she shrank away.

"You can't touch me."

He smiled slightly. "I can _touch_ you—"

"No." Emma walked away. "Look, I know you were looking out for Henry this morning. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I know… I know I can trust you. But I also know I need to put some distance in between you and me right now. I'm sorry." Tears broke her final words, and she turned and fled.

* * *

She was sitting at the top of the stairs when he got to the apartment, her arms on her legs and her hands dangling off her knees, a tired, faraway look on her sad, beautiful face. Her eyes snapped up when he entered.

"Hello, there," Hook said, stopping at the base of the stairs.

Emma gave him a small smile. Hook mounted the stairs slowly and sat down next to her. He didn't say anything, and Emma was grateful for that. They were quiet for a few minutes.

"There was this sheriff named Graham," Emma said after a while. "You probably didn't know him back in the old land. He was a huntsman. But here he was the sheriff. He was kind of Regina's pet. She had taken his heart, but he didn't know it. When I got to Storybrooke, he—well, he started remembering a little. The curse wasn't broken, but he was remembering who he really was."

"When you got to Storybrooke?" Hook asked with a frown. "What did that do?"

"Well, when he kissed me."

"Ah." Hook nodded, looking at his hook. "Go on."

"Regina could control him, because of the heart. But he was… going rogue, you could say," Emma chuckled. "He started telling people about the visions he was having, and she figured out that he was remembering. So one night, she went to her vault and got out his heart. He and I were in the sheriff's office. He kissed me, and the next minute he was falling to the ground. He died in my arms."

"Oh, Emma—" Hook reached for her, he couldn't help himself, but she shrugged away.

"It's fine," she said. "When you think about it, I hardly knew him. But just for a moment, for a tiny moment, I thought I might actually be happy. I should have known better."

Hook's heart was breaking. "Emma, don't say that—"

She shook her head. "And Neal…"

"Shh," Hook said. He put his arm around her shoulders whether she liked it or not. "You don't have to say."

Emma allowed herself to sink into Hook's shoulder ever so slightly. It was against her better judgment, against her instincts, against her will, yet there was something deep down inside her that was screaming for it, and at the small contact of her shoulder against his, the tears came.

"He died in my lap," she choked out. "I wasn't in love with him anymore. I think he knew that. But I still loved him, you know? And I held him as he died, died because of all this, and I just thought, I can't let this happen to anyone else." She wiped her eyes fiercely. "That's why I don't like being back in Storybrooke, Hook. That's why I wish none of this was real. Because we're all in danger, and we already had to dig one grave thanks to Zelena." Leaning closer, dangerously closer, out of weakness more than anything else, Emma let her cheek fall onto the leather of his coat. A shuddering breath escaped her mouth.

"Shh," Hook said, rubbing her shoulder as she shook against him. "It's all right, Swan."

She shook her head, her hands coming up to clutch at his coat as she pressed against him. "I can't dig another, Hook," she whispered, so quietly that Hook almost couldn't hear her. Her voice was hoarse as she whispered again. "I can't."

His arms came around her as his own breath hitched, and before either of them knew it, she was in his lap, her legs over his and her face in his neck. Hook gathered her up and pressed her to him, not even trying to stop his tears.

He knew he couldn't promise that. He knew that tomorrow, or perhaps the day after, they would have to confront Zelena. He knew that soon Emma's arms would come down from around his neck and she would sit up and wipe her eyes and try to put all the walls back up where they were before. He knew they couldn't sit here on the top of these stairs forever. But for now, he would let silent tears roll down his cheeks as Emma clutched him. He would give what he could. And he would gather this feeling to hold onto later. Because now or later, he wasn't letting her go.


	2. A New Arrangement

_Ahhhhhh the promo stills and the dancing and the smiles and I just can't. Whoever decided TV finales would air during finals weeks is a terribly evil person. I'm pretty sure my research paper is suffering as a result of CS... And I'm pretty sure I'm okay with it..._

_This takes place after Emma and Killian return from their time travel adventure, it having gone well and ended with Emma admitting her feelings etc etc, and they are getting settled back in Storybrooke. Really shameless fluff. Enjoy xx_

* * *

"Hi." Emma was breathless when Killian opened the door. She leaned forward, one hand on the door frame, one grabbing his lapel, and kissed him before he had a chance to respond. She lingered at his lips for a moment before she pulled away.

A little smile twitched at Killian's lips. "Hi."

Emma's smile widened. "Hi." She wrapped her arm firmly around his neck and kissed him again, nudging him backward into the room. They walked in, Emma kicking the door shut behind her, and Killian didn't stop until he had turned Emma around and her back hit the wall.

"What did you tell your parents?" Killian murmured against her neck.

Emma laughed, and he felt the vibration all the way down to his toes.

"The truth," Emma said. "You know they wouldn't believe me if I said anything else. Besides, they're too lovey-dovey with the baby to care what I do."

An appreciative laugh rolled from Killian's throat. Emma felt his stubble scratch her neck as he smiled.

"And Henry?"

"He's with Regina tonight."

Killian brushed a kiss over her nose. "Never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad you have to share him with her."

Emma laughed. "We do need to figure this out, though," she said, pulling away. Her hand came up to stroke his hair and she studied his face. "This is getting silly."

"What do you mean?" Killian trailed his hand down her arm and curled his fingers around hers, leading her to the couch with a little tug. Emma sat, and he drew her close to him. She allowed herself to curl up against him, to sink into him. She was still getting used to this; it still felt strange to let herself want him, need him... but it also felt delicious, she thought as she pressed into his side. She did want him. She did need him. And she had promised herself she wasn't going back.

"You staying at Granny's," Emma said, looking down at her fingers as they played with the buttons of his vest. She met his blue eyes. "And me being with David and Mary Margaret and the baby and sometimes Henry in that tiny studio. Feeling like I'm a teenager sneaking out when I come over here. Don't you think it's time... we figure out some other arrangement?"

Killian grinned, his hand coming over her legs to hold her thigh. "And what kind of arrangement would that be?"

He was teasing her, making her say it, and she knew it. She sighed. "Do you think we should look for an apartment?"

Killian grinned, looking down at her with soft-lidded eyes, his face a centimeter away from hers. She had that little worried crease between her eyebrows, that little lilt of uncertainty under her words. He tilted his head forward so their foreheads were almost touching. "I thought you'd never ask," he whispered.

Emma laughed, and he kissed her.

"Do I want to have you in my bed every night? Do I want to fall asleep with your body against mine? Do I want to wake up next to you every morning? Do I want to cook you breakfast and pick out furniture and get Henry to teach me how to play those video games? Do I want to have our own house, and make it a home?" He kissed her again, lightly. "Emma. It's all I've ever wanted."

Emma swallowed, taken unawares by the tears that were filling her eyes. "Oh, Killian," she whispered, a hand coming up to stroke his jaw. She closed her eyes, letting the tears slip out. "Me too."

He smiled, his hand coming up to cover hers. "Really?"

She nodded. "I want all of those things. And I want them with you. I want you in my bed every night and every morning and whenever I want. I want you to teach Henry to make sailor's knots and buy him ice cream behind my back. I want you here and in my home because... you are my home."

Killian choked out her name before he pressed his lips to hers. Emma's other hand came to his face and she held him to her, kissing him with all the feeling she could put into it. When they broke apart, both their cheeks were wet. They laughed softly. Killian wiped her face.

"I love you, Emma Swan."

"I love you too, Killian Jones."

He grinned at those words. Emma swatted his shoulder.

"Even though you won't stop gloating."

"I'll never stop, love," he said, tightening his arms around her. "I can promise you that."


	3. Close Quarters

_I know some of these Enchanted-Forest-wardrobe-change stories have been done already but... I just saw so many opportunities for shirtless Hook. Need I say more? _

_So this starts after Emma and Hook have traveled back in time to the Enchanted Forest and find a spot to get a much-needed costume change, and progresses from there over the course of their journey __(__and I do not take credit for the Hook/Emma/corset idea, visit tumblr to read more drabbles from great people, this is just my version because it got stuck in my head and I couldn't get it out!)_.

* * *

"There must be woman's clothing around here somewhere," Hook muttered, bending down to open the wardrobe drawers. "Aha. Here we go." He tossed her a bundle of clothes. "Quickly."

"Thanks," Emma said. She pulled off her sword and took her gun out of its holster and dropped them both on the bed. She started to unfold the clothes. "Whoa. God, do I really have to wear this thi-"

Emma turned and stopped mid-sentence. Hook was changing, and he had just dropped his vest on the ground, exposing his bare chest. He held the new white shirt in his hand. Emma stared at him.

"Hm?" Hook asked when she broke off. He looked up and grinned when he saw her face. "Like what you see, love?"

Emma snapped her mouth closed. "No, I- I was just complaining about the corset." She licked her lips, unconscious of both the movement and its effect on Hook.

"I can stay like this a little longer if you like," Hook said, that incorrigible eyebrow raising as he took a step towards her. He tried not to laugh as Emma quickly turned back to the dress, blushing and clearly determined to ignore him.

"What's wrong with the corset?" he asked, coming closer. He put his shirt down on the bed and picked up the undergarment.

"Nothing," Emma snapped.

"Do you need help?"

"No."

Hook gestured to her torso. "Well, you're going to have to take all that off first if you want to put this on." He didn't take her eyes off her, giving her a lazy smile, clearly enjoying this.

"Son of a bitch," Emma muttered. She snatched the corset from him and threw it on the bed. "Turn around."

Hook spread his hands wide. "Love."

"Turn around!"

"As you wish."

But she immediately regretted her own command when she was confronted with the muscles of his back, the smooth planes of his shoulder blades, the valley just above where hips met pants. She looked for a second too long, had to jerk her eyes away when she turned toward the bed. She ripped her shirt off angrily, trying not to think about the fact that their bare backs were just feet away from each other. The skin on her stomach prickled as the air kissed it. She shivered as she unclasped her bra and tossed it on the bed. On second thought, she quickly folded it in half and wrapped her shirt around it. She didn't want to deal with Hook seeing it.

Emma picked up the corset and held it around herself as best she could. She pressed the front to her chest, trying to cover herself, simultaneously annoyed and pleased at the insane cleavage it was clearly going to give her. She had absolutely no idea how to put it on. She didn't even know if it was possible to do it without help. Didn't women back in the day have ladies' maids for stuff like this?

She turned it around and tried to lace it up, thinking she could do it in the front and then twist it around to the proper position, but it quickly became clear this was a terrible plan. She let out a frustrated sigh as she attempted to thread the laces through.

"Swan."

His hand touched her arm, ever so briefly, and Emma sighed. She held up her arms in defeat, letting the corset fall, and he silently picked it up, twisted it around so the laces were in the back and began unpicking her work.

Hook swallowed hard as he stepped closer to her back. He had to fight the urge to press his lips to her skin when she raised a hand and pulled her hair over her shoulder, away from her neck. God, she deserved to be loved, he thought as he began re-lacing the contraption. He intended to try as hard as he could to avoid touching her, but he let his fingers slip off the material and onto her skin, and the light touch nearly undid him. He cleared his throat. This wasn't going to end well.

Hook didn't say a word, but as he worked his fingers brushed the top of her back and she felt the corset wiggle as he began to lace it. He went quickly, but there were a lot of holes. It was oddly soothing to have him working at her back, and Emma let her eyes fall closed. Every time one of his fingers- or worse, the cold metal of his hook- touched her skin, she had to fight the urge to shiver. It was like there was fire on his fingertips, searing her skin.

"There," Hook said, his fingers lingering on the laces as he finished. His voice was husky and strangely gentle. "All done. I tried not to make it too tight."

"Thanks," Emma said. It came out like a pant. She loathed herself, she really did. Fucking Hook.

"Does it feel all right?"

"Yeah, I think so. I mean, I can breathe, so that's good, right?" She really couldn't breathe, but it didn't have to do with the corset.

"Right," Hook laughed, looking down with a smile. He looked back up- and into her eyes. Hook blinked, taken aback by her proximity. He willed himself not to let his eyes drop to her perfect-looking breasts.

"Thanks," she said again, more firmly this time.

"My pleasure," Hook responded, a cheeky grin starting to emerge. "You know, I kind of like the consequences of this time-travel thing so far."

Emma lowered her eyelids at him, shaking her head, though a smile was on her face. "Shut up."

Every time she took a breath she was intensely aware of her breasts rising and falling. She was even more aware of the fact that they were inches away from his naked chest. She deliberately let her eyes wander down his torso one more time, not bothering to be subtle. She smirked and threw his shirt at him. "Put your shirt on."

Laughing, he obliged.

* * *

They had been walking for a very long time. It was a good thing Hook more or less knew his way around this forest, because Emma would have been a goner on her own. But right now, he was taking them on some sort of secret detour, and Emma was getting impatient. The sun was going to go down soon and she wanted to find somewhere to stay for the night.

"Almost there," Hook said from in front of her.

"We better be," she responded.

Hook pushed through the brush and let out a triumphant cry. "There it is!"

"There what is?" Emma came up behind him and looked over his shoulder. There was a wide, sparkling lake in front of them.

"Water," Hook breathed. He grinned and looked at her. "What do you say, Emma? How about a swim?"

Hook didn't wait for a response. He took off running, sliding down the little slope to the shore. He stopped at a log and began pulling his boots off. Emma followed him, cursing her dress for the millionth time. It wasn't a ballgown, just a regular one, but it was cumbersome enough to make her not want to ever move to the Enchanted Forest permanently.

The skirt got snagged on a branch as she went down the slope. Cursing, she knelt down to free it. When she straightened, she stopped in her tracks at the sight in front of her. _Damn him._

Hook let out a boyish laugh as he splashed into the water in nothing but his breeches. He let the water lap around his ankles, enjoying the cool air on his bare back. He turned.

"Aren't you coming, Swan?"

Emma glared at him as she walked across the shore. "What, exactly, would I go wading in in this outfit? Can't exactly strip down to my bra and panties. Not that I would," she muttered.

"To your what, love?" Hook frowned. "Well, I suppose you're right. Although you could just forsake the whole arrangement there and join me free and natural." He raised a flirtatious eyebrow, but he laughed when she glowered. Even he knew he was pushing his luck.

"All right, love. Well, I'm just going to take a refreshing dip and we can be on our way. You can put your ankles in."

"Gee, thanks." Emma sat down on the log on the shore and put her chin in her hand. She wanted a bed, and the stupid pirate had led them to water. She watched him splash further into the water. He looked so happy that she could almost forgive him the detour.

Hook went in deeper, the water slowly rising on his chest until he was able to push forward and swim. His muscles tensed and relaxed as he moved, his arms and back flexing as he cut strong strokes through the water. Emma tried to tear her eyes away, but she couldn't. Hook dunked under all the way, then flipped to float on his back. She swallowed when his chest came above the surface.

God, this trip was going to be the death of her.

"How's the water?" she called out, wanting to say something to cut the tension she felt growing in her body.

"Wonderful," he called back. "Jealous?"

Hook righted himself in the water and pushed the wet hair out of his eyes as he grinned at her from afar. He came closer to the shore, wondering if he could persuade her to dip her toes in. They had been so tense on this journey, and he wanted to make her laugh, to hold her hand as she balanced in the surf, to just relax for a single moment.

As he came nearer, Emma could see the gleeful look on his face, how refreshed he seemed. Water droplets clung to his skin, sparkling on his chest hair and rolling down his stomach. Her fingers suddenly itched to touch his damp hair, to sweep it away from his face. Emma's stomach turned over when her gaze wandered too far down. His soaked breeches clung to his form in the most inappropriate way. She pressed her hands into the log on either side of her, her nails digging into the bark.

Hook held out a hand to beckon her. "You sure you don't want to just wade? I'll help you hold up that dress."

"Nope, I'm fine. You should swim."

She would enjoy the view from here.

* * *

"All right," Hook said, stepping away from the counter and dangling a key in front of Emma's face. "Third floor."

"Are you serious?" she said flatly. She looked at him. "One room?"

"He assumed! And you can't exactly ask for a separate room for a single woman. In these parts that's a little unusual. Besides, he sounded like they were almost booked up so we're lucky to have anything."

"Whatever."

"I'll sleep on the floor."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You don't have to sleep on the floor. You'll be freezing."

They bickered all the way to the room. Hook unlocked the door and they went in, Emma letting out a sigh of relief when she sat down on the bed. The last few nights of sleeping in the forest had been fine by her, but she was more than glad to have a real room for a night.

"Thank god," she said, letting herself fall over backward to stretch out on the bed. She stared at the ceiling. "I'm exhausted."

"A real bed," Hook said, tugging off his boots and letting them fall to the floor with a clunk.

"This has been so weird."

Hook laughed. "You can say that again. But a little fun, right?"

Emma smiled at the ceiling. "Yeah. A little fun. Even though I have to put up with you." She propped herself up on one elbow to address him, a playful smile on her face, and her mouth dropped open. "Why do you keep _doing _that?"

Hook tossed his shirt into the corner. "Doing what?"

Emma clenched a fist. "Do you always get out of your clothes that quickly?"

He grinned. "Quicker, usually. But we're just going to sleep so I figured there was no rush."

"You can't sleep in a shirt?" Emma grumbled. She sat up, trying to look anywhere but at him. She was regretting telling him he didn't have to sleep on the floor.

Hook opened his sack and rummaged through it. He pulled out her old shirt and threw it at her. "Here."

"Thanks," she said grudgingly. "Help me."

They had come up with an awkward but effective evening routine of Hook loosening her dress and corset before bed, but she had just been sleeping in it in the forest, so she hadn't bothered to take it all the way off yet. She shoved the old-fashioned underclothes off, glad she had kept her own underwear on underneath, while he unlaced the dress. She was so relieved to get out of it that she let it fall to the floor without making Hook turn away. When the corset was undone, Emma simply held her arms up and let him take it off her. Then she grabbed her shirt from the bed and pulled it over her head, sighing at the feel of freedom and the soft fabric.

"You have no idea how good that feels," she groaned as she catapulted herself onto the bed. She just lay there for a second on her stomach, pressing her face into the pillow, not even caring that her pantie-clad butt was right there for him to see.

Hook let out a strangled laugh. "You are not making this easy on me, Swan," he murmured.

"Sorry," she said into the pillow. "You have no idea what it's like to have your boobs smashed up like that. And I thought I hated bras. I'll never complain again."

She felt his weight depress the bed, and for a moment, for a fleeting second, she wanted him to lean over her, wanted his body to cover hers and his mouth to lower down to her ear, wanted to feel his weight on her...

Instead, she snapped her eyes open, rolled over and got under the blankets before he could. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the ceiling. She sensed Hook pause in his movements.

"Er- love?"

She glanced at him, and he motioned to his fake hand, indicating he was going to take it off. Asking if it was okay with her, Emma realized with a jolt. She nodded silently. He started loosening the brace, clearly uncomfortable, and she didn't look away. Before she knew what she was doing, she turned and laid a hand on his arm.

"Love?" He looked up at her, surprised, and in his eyes she saw uncertainty, maybe even fear.

Emma looked down at the brace and began loosening it without a word, going slowly and gently. She slipped it down, tugged the fake hand off and carefully set it on the table. She ran a quiet hand over the marks it had left on his arm, looking at the red indentations.

"Thanks," Hook breathed.

"Yeah," Emma whispered. "Does it hurt?"

"No more than a corset," he joked, raising an eyebrow, and she laughed. Their eyes met, and she thought for a moment- for a moment- and then she took a deep breath and looked away and moved back to her side, and they both got under the covers.

Hook turned off the light, and Emma let out a long breath that was shakier than she'd meant it to be.

"You okay, Swan?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I just- Well, it's been a long time since I shared a bed with someone."

She felt Hook still. "Me too, lass," he said after a minute. "A long time."

If Emma was surprised by that, she didn't say anything. Instead she shifted, ever so slightly, so she was just a little bit closer to him than before. "Good night, Hook," she murmured.

"Good night, Swan."

* * *

_I didn't mean for it to get so serious at the end, but they're just so precious... I can be persuaded to continue this one if anyone has other ideas for circumstances under which they would find themselves undressing (aside from the obvious, of course). __Thanks for playing along! Review?_


	4. Close Quarters (Part 2)

_This is based on a prompt I got from **addicted2memories **for some figurative undressing in response to the actual undressing of the last chapter. ;) Emma gets jealous when they go into a restaurant and women start staring at Killing and undressing him with their eyes... Same universe as the last chapter._

* * *

The tavern was warm and welcoming, and the first building they'd come upon in over a day. They had been so relieved to see it, they'd practically run to the door.

Emma should've been happy to be sitting in the warm booth across from Hook, studying a menu of hot food and strong drink, but the rather curvaceous barmaid who had taken their drink orders had nearly drooled on herself when she'd seen Hook, and now Emma was on edge. It wasn't like there weren't twenty other men in this bar right now. Yet this girl was _still_ staring at Hook as she took someone else's order across the room. It was just rude. Emma wanted to eat her meal in peace.

She returned to their table a few minutes later with two pints in hand, and Emma had to fight the urge to glare at her.

"Here y'are," the barmaid said in a lilting accent, setting down a pint in front of Hook. She giggled, causing her substantially sized chest to stick forward. She put the other pint down in front of Emma without looking at her. Some sloshed over the sides.

"Watch it," Emma muttered.

The lass giggled again, leaning her hip against the table, her back completely to Emma. "You want anything else?" she asked Hook. It was clear what she was implying. Emma rolled her eyes. They had just wanted a hot meal, and she did not want to deal with some trampy barmaid drooling over Hook.

"We need another minute," Hook responded. "Thanks, lass."

"Take your time."

She giggled and walked away, hips swinging. Emma shifted in her seat, annoyed.

"What, Swan?"

"Nothing. What are you ordering?"

"Umm... What do you think, the pie or the steak?" Hook turned his attention back to the chalkboard menu, squinting as he tried to decide.

Emma's eyes were drawn over his shoulder, where she could see a group of the barmaids tittering at the side of the room- all of them with their eyes on Hook.

"_God_," she said under her breath.

"Swan? It seems as though something is bothering you. Should we go to a different tavern?"

She let out a short laugh. Yeah, they should go to a different tavern. Except they were both starving and this was the first one they'd seen in miles, and she knew he really, really wanted to eat. She wouldn't drag him somewhere else just because some half-dressed bimbos couldn't keep their eyes off him. It wasn't his fault he was so damn- She stopped herself. God, she needed to get a grip.

"Just get grumpy when I'm hungry," she muttered, looking at the menu herself. "I'm going to have the pot pie."

"Excellent choice," Hook said, smiling at her from across the table. "I'll go for the steak and kidney. How I have missed the food of this realm."

Emma let a smile sneak past the grump-patrol in her brain. "I'm sure you could get Mary Margaret or Granny to whip something special up for you."

"Ta," said a voice, rolling over the word as if it had three syllables, and a shadow appeared over their table. Emma looked up to see a different waitress standing above them. "Can I get you something to eat?" she asked, looking directly at Hook. She swung her hips slightly from one side to the other as she talked, making her breasts bounce gently in her ridiculous get-up.

"Aye, the st-"

"Yeah, I'll have the pot pie, and the steak and kidney for him," Emma said loudly. She gave the woman a sickly sweet smile. "Thanks!"

"Right," the girl said coldly. Then she looked back at Hook and smiled. "Is that everything you need?"

He raised his eyebrows, looking to Emma for confirmation. "Aye, thanks."

The girl smiled again and put her hand on the table so she could lean closer to Hook (or, more accurately, put her breasts closer to his face, Emma thought.) "Coming right up." She slowly dragged her hand off the table as she left, throwing him a wink over her shoulder.

Glaring, Emma watched her walk away. The gaggle of her coworkers had moved to the corner of the bar; they'd been eagerly watching to see how their friend would do. (The first barmaid looked particularly put out.) Emma clenched her jaw.

"So, Swan!" Hook said, and she looked back to see him smiling at her from across the table. "I'd say our little journey is going pretty well so far."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "You're just happy we found a restaurant."

"We had leaves for dinner last night, of course I'm happy. If I had known we were going on a time-travel adventure, I would've brought some snacks."

"Sorry I didn't pack a lunch before I fell through the portal."

Hook ignored her sarcasm. "I do love those- what do you call them again?"

"Pretzels."

"Aye. Pretzels. What a good invention. If we end up stuck here, perhaps we could open a pretzel shop and introduce them to this time."

"I think we'd ruin the future Mr. Snyder's life," Emma muttered.

"What?"

"The pretzel brand... never mind."

Hook looked at her from over his pint, his eyes perceptive. "You're not as chipper about the prospect of eating dinner as I am, Swan."

"Just need food."

He was quiet for a moment, looking at her with a knitted brow and that caring expression in his eyes that never failed to make her lash out. "We _will _get home, Swan. You'll see your family again. I promise."

"It's not home I'm worried about," she snapped before she could help herself. Hook drew back in surprise, and Emma immediately sighed at her misstep. "I mean, I am worried about it, I'm- I told you, I'm just- hungry." She twisted in her seat again to see the bar, and she caught a blond barmaid openly staring at Hook as she washed dishes. As Emma's gaze scanned the room, she realized the waitresses weren't the only ones who'd been looking at Hook lasciviously; women at some of the other tables were glancing over at them, too. God, the _women _in this realm!

It suddenly put an image in Emma's mind of what Hook's life must have been like before the curse- of women seducing him in bars, him carrying various busty barmaids up to an empty room- and she experienced a visceral jolt as she realized how unwelcome the idea was. Her stomach muscles clenched again as she turned back to the table, fighting the hot, angry surge of... what? This should not bother her so much. It should not.

"I hope you're hungry." The sultry voice floated over again, and a second later the waitress girl appeared with two plates in hand. She lowered a steaming dish to Hook's place with a little laugh. "Steak and kidney," she said, making two of the least sexy words sound like they were coming from a porno.

"Marvelous," Hook said.

"And here's a little something extra," the maid whispered with a wink, setting down another pint of ale.

"Oh, I-"

"It's on the house," she said. Her eyes traveled down Hook's form slowly, her tongue coming out to touch her lips when they reached the v of his shirt.

Emma cleared her throat loudly. She was about to knock this woman out if she didn't step back.

"Here." The maid set the other plate down with a clunk in front of Emma. On it was the smallest, most pathetic looking pot pie she had ever seen.

"Can I get you anything else?" She put a hand on the table in front of Hook and swung back and forth again.

"No," Emma said. "We're fine."

The maid glared at her, simpered at Hook, and flounced away.

Emma picked up her fork and stabbed her pie. "This is the tiniest fucking pie I've ever seen."

"It is rather small," Hook laughed. He pushed his plate toward her. "You can have some of mine."

_Jesus Christ_. Why did he have to be so damn nice? Why couldn't he just be desperately attractive and maddeningly flirtatious and a total jerk? Why did he have to care so much?

Emma glared at him but took a bite of steak. She looked over her shoulder. "That bitch did it on purpose."

"No, she-" Suddenly Hook's lips parted in a wide grin. He touched his tongue to his teeth and raised his eyebrows. "You're _jealous__."_

_"_I'm not-"

But there was no use protesting. Hook's eyes glittered and he set his forearms on the table, leaning closer. "Emma Swan is jealous," he said, clearly relishing every word. "Of that barmaid?"

"She was practically undressing you with her eyes!" Emma hissed. "She was licking her lips staring at you, Hook."

"Was she?" Hook asked mildly, glancing over to where the barmaid stood. The girl waggled her fingers at him. He shrugged. "Perhaps she was," he said, his eyes returning to Emma's. He was barely able to suppress a smile at the expression on Emma's face.

Emma glared at him. "Don't pretend like you didn't notice. She was throwing herself at you. All the women in here have been staring at you ever since we came in."

"Well, don't worry, love," Hook said, leaning even closer, so their faces were only inches apart. His voice was low and deep. "If I'm going to let anyone undress me, it'll be you."

His eyebrow flicked up ever so slightly. His red lips were parted as he waited to see what effect his words would have on her.

The suggestion sent unwelcome shockwaves through Emma. She wanted to retort, but she found herself caught in his gaze, her chest suddenly rising and falling rather rapidly as they locked eyes. She blinked slowly.

"Eat your pie, Swan." Hook sat back and picked up his fork with immense satisfaction, biting his lip to hide a grin. Emma Swan was jealous.


	5. Come Back

_"So open wide your wounded heart, feel yourself be blown apart,_  
_Open wide your wounded heart, it's a funny place to start._  
_In the light of the sun, we are found, we are undone,_  
_In the light of the sun, we are a one."_

_- All the Stars, The Wailin' Jennys_

* * *

Emma sat on a rock, perched with her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hand. Her body was curved over itself, sunken in like she was trying to disappear. She held one fist tight in the other, knowing that if she let go her fingers would be trembling.

_Come back to me._

This was all her fault. Why did she ruin things? Why did she push people away?

And how could it be possible that she was the Savior, that Rumplestiltskin had planned this all out, that she had been meant to make her way to Storybrooke, when she was the one person who couldn't accept it? Who didn't want it? Who pushed away the love she'd found?

It was the love she'd longed for all her life. She was aware as she sat there that she had everything in front of her. But she hadn't expected it to come in the form it had. And she couldn't let herself open all the way. She had tried it, she had nearly done it when they'd gotten Henry back from Neverland, but instead she'd lost everyone again. And she had gone right back to where she'd started. Been abandoned again.

_I came back to save you._

Except for Hook. She knew it, even if she didn't want to admit it. Except for the stupid, insufferable pirate who sulking somewhere in the forest, angry at her and probably done with this game they were playing. Emma let out a long, shaky sigh and pressed her forehead into her palms.

_Killian, come back to me._

She could hear her own shouts from just the other day at Zelena's, nearly feel the panic rising again. She'd brought him back from nearly dead. And it was just one more twist in their story, after giants and curses and portals. They'd both survived so much. And, still, he'd always come back to her.

After all that, was an argument going to be the thing that drove him away for good?

"Come back to me," Emma whispered. The words fell off her lips in a weak breath, dropping heavily into the air like pebbles in a pond. She was pathetic, she thought, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She pressed her hands onto her thighs, sitting up with a deep breath.

She looked around, hoping for a noise or to see him coming through the brush, but there was nothing. She let herself slide off the rock onto the ground, leaning her back against the boulder. She wanted to be mad at him, but she knew he'd given her so many chances. This was what she got.

Emma sat there for a long time. It occurred to her to get angry at him for being gone for so long, but she still couldn't muster it up. She would just wait here until the morning and see if he came back. See if he hadn't left her. He probably had, she thought miserably, as more tears leaked out her eyes. And it was what she would deserve. To be abandoned in the middle of the Enchanted Forest thirty years in the past, crying against a rock. The one time when she deserved to be abandoned, she thought with morbid humor.

She'd brought it on herself this time, and she couldn't stop thinking about that. As the minutes wore on, she became more and more certain that he wasn't coming back. It probably felt like more time had passed than it actually had, but it had been at least two hours. The forest was dark, and she knew it was very late.

The moon was setting and light was beginning to creep into the edges of the sky when Emma heard a noise. Her eyes snapped up, unable to keep a look of hope off her face, but her hand went to her weapon, just in case.

A shadowy figure came through the trees. Hook emerged. She could just make out his features in the moonlight; his face was drawn and anguished but his eyes were hopeful. They looked at each other.

Emma's lips began to tremble. "Hi," she whispered. She began crying again, and she didn't try to hide it. She just sat their with her hands in her laps and let the tears run down her cheeks and looked at him.

Hook stared at her. He bit his lip, and then he dropped the bags he was holding and walked over to her.

"Oh, Swan."

He sat down next to her and leaned against the rock. She heard him blow out a breath.

"I thought you were gone," she managed to say.

"I'm sorry."

His words were like a punch, and she had to hold back a fresh wave of tears. _He _was apologizing? The weight of how well he knew her, how much he cared, hit her hard.

Because he understood her.

Because he understood how wounded she was, how many times she'd been left.

Because he was always there.

And even though she'd been a complete bitch (and not just today), he was the one apologizing. Emma pressed her eyes closed. She didn't deserve this.

"Hook," she tried to say, but it came out garbled with tears. "Oh, God," she said, and pressed her face into her hands. She felt his hand on her back. "I'm sorry," she said into her hands. She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Emma, it's okay."

"Why do you say that? It's not okay! I haven't been... fair to you, I haven't-"

"Emma," he said again. "It doesn't matter."

"But it does," she cried. "I'm sorry, I just... sorry..." She took a deep breath, trying to get control of herself.

"It's okay," Hook said. "I'll wait."

Emma turned her head to look at him, to look fully into his eyes for the first time since he'd sat down. She shook her head, still tearful, unable to understand why he cared so much, or comprehend the depth of love behind his words. She pressed her eyes closed, and Hook put an arm around her. She sank into his shoulder just a little.

They sat there for a while, silently, just being. Thinking. The sun started to rise, and it was barely visible, a burning red orb low in the sky, when Emma finally spoke.

"I thought... I thought everything needed to be perfect before I could love someone again," she said. "I wanted to leave all that stuff behind. Which was why New York seemed so perfect. It was gone, all that stuff was gone. And here, it's everywhere. But I was wrong. You love someone in spite of all that stuff. And they are what make it go away. You, Hook. You always come back to me. You're the only person in my life who's ever come back. But I was _so afraid _that one day you wouldn't, I- I couldn't let you in all the way. Because when Graham died and Neal died and Walsh turned into a freaking flying monkey, I was upset, it was horrible, but I wasn't..." She took a shaky breath, rubbing her face, and she let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I think I would die, Hook. If you left me."

"Oh, Gods, Emma," Hook breathed, and both his arms were around her, pulling her to his chest, holding her and somehow encompassing all her feelings, sharing the emotions so she didn't have to bear the weight of them anymore. His chin, his lips brushed her hair. "Emma. I know all that already. Why do you think I've kept trying for so long?"

She laughed tearfully, and so did he, a deep, gentle vibration against her chest.

Hook pushed her up a little so he could look into her eyes. "I will never leave you, Swan, unless you want me to."

He brushed back her hair, and Emma looked into his blue eyes, knowing he was giving her one last chance to turn around. Pressing her lips together, she shook her head. "No." One hand drifted up to smooth his collar. She watched her thumb play with the soft fabric for a minute before she looked up at him again. "Don't leave."

His eyebrow lifted slightly as he smiled at her. "One time you said to me that we understood each other, you and I. You were right. We've both been wounded. But you were also right in what you said now. We'll get through it together. Because... that's what love is." A smile twitched his lips. "I love you, Emma."

She laughed. "I love you, too. You stupid pirate." She tugged at his collar, and he kissed her.

"I love you, Emma," Hook murmured again, as they pressed together and the sun rose into the sky.

* * *

So much angst, and I wrote it quickly, but I was listening to the song quoted at the beginning and it was too perfect for them not to write something inspired by it before the finale. Thanks for reading!


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